Five questions with new Laguna Hills High boys lacrosse coach Lee Oshnock

As the much-popular east coast sport of lacrosse continues to filter through to the west coast, more schools and clubs here in Southern California are hiring former elite players from the area to coach.

Such is the case at Laguna Hills High, who hired Lee Oshnock as its new boys lacrosse coach.

Oshnock, 24, replaces Teddy Hicks, who left Laguna Hills High to become the new men's lacrosse coach at Cal-State San Marcos.

Born in Dearborn, Mich., Oshnock played lacrosse at Bridgeton Academy in Detroit where he was named to the All-State team his junior and senior years. He also played club lacrosse in Maine before heading west to play collegiately down the road at Whittier College.

Oshnock has served as an assistant coach at both Marina and Servite, and with 4 Leaf Lacrosse Club in Dana Point and 313 Lacrosse in Gross Point, Mich.

Q.What attracted you to apply for the Laguna Hills High position?

A. What didn't attract me? I was living in San Francisco and decided San Francisco wasn't for me. One of my buddies – Ben Barchy, the head lacrosse coach at Los Alamitos – told me about the Laguna Hills job. I looked into it and was excited about it from the start.

Q.Last year's squad won the Sea View League championship. What do you expect from this year's team?

A. We lost 12 seniors from that squad, so this will likely be a rebuilding year. But although we might not have all-stars, we'll play well as a team.

Q.What are your strengths as a coach?

A. I'd say my experience and knowledge. I've played this game for a long time. And I feel I can relate to the kids. I'm not much older than them, so I know what they're going through.

Q.How long is a long time?

A. My father gave me my first stick when I was four. I remember having a stick in my hand since I could walk.

Q.What's your goals for the Laguna Hills program?

A. I want to build a winning program from the second grade through high school. The building blocks for a solid program start there. The game is so new on the west coast that too often I see high school kids learning how to pass and catch. On the East Coast, kids are doing that in elementary school.

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